The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1887-10-04

much money as possible might he retained
here. The temperance workers were un
known, and without influence, and when they
sought such legislation as would pcrmi
elections by local option for tht
suppression Of the liquor traffic, it was moi
only readily granted as the easiest method Of
getting rid OF a set Of cranls, but these alleged
crtuks were permitted TO frame their own law
This as will be seen later on, is the cause OF
wailine and crashing of teeth among the
liquor men today
In half dozen counties elections were
brought on under the local option law While
! the political hustings was deserted the churches
were filed. Strange to say. III this land of
| bitter hatred between the races, engendcred
during the Tilden campaign OF 1876, white
| preachers, often accompanied by white
! female workers, went down into the col
| orcd churches and prayed with a
| vim for the abolition of the liquor traffic.
! The negroes were at first amazed and then
| the amaZement turned to pleasure when they
| found that their votes were courted by the
| whites. Colored men OF prominence were APP
pcaled TO to take their stand not "by" but
as members Of the better classes In other
words the idea was carefully spread forth that
"the Lord hath made His people one" The
liquor men, on the other hand, relied on the
want of interest among the natives, the ecu
pdity Of the yankee settlers" and the we'll
known love of the negro for liquor 10 defeat
DfOllDlllDD, ucJ lDlIOuuttu lDt ItAds lcIIcT
Of Jefferson Davis to influence the ex-
'confedcrates, but this was Offset by
letter wTitt:n by Mr.. Davis
to a friend in Hamilton county, in which he
declared that while opposed to state pro-
hibtion, he believed in the right Of every com
munity, acting for itself, to remove nuisances
and to promote local order.
As the elections passed off, one by one, the
liquor men were treated to n series of sur
prises AlaChua county, q second congo re-
min Na1,n ar ,tgly
dry by a clear negro aiority. Orange county,
the great center of yankee immigration, voted
to keep liquor ont. The cx-c0nfederates of
Santa Rosa and Franklin found room under
jeff Days's local option letter to save
their states rights scruples while
running out what the preachers char
actersed as "the rum devil" Thus to date
fifteen elections have been held, and of these
twelve have voted dry, namely: Franklin,
Santa Rosa, Suwannee, Baker, Polk, Column
bia, Alachua, Marion, Clay, Breyard, Orange,
Gadsdcn and Levy.
Three counties failed to give a dry majority,
and it was here that the liquor men found how
badly they had been cuchred by the prohib-
tOnists in the framing Of the law. The act
provides that one-fourth of the voters of a
county, by petition to the commissioners, can
have an election within thirty days. When
such election is held it is by districts If
tho county should 90 "wct," but one or
two districts should happen to vote dry,
they are SO declared, notwithstanding the gen
cIal result in the county. On the other hand,
if the county should 50 dry, but several dis
trcts should 90 wet the rule is reversed,
and the "wet" districts arc declared "dry +"
This makes the prohibition cause an cver-in-
crcasing factor. 1t can always win but never
loses
Other elections arc rapidly coming on.
Ililsborough county will vote on the Both ana
it is 81 forged conclusion that the prohibit
zionist will win, Lee and Pasco counties viii
vote on the 10th of October, and Bradford will
vote four days later. In these counties the
ants are practically making no fight owing
| to tho combination OF church, ne
| GRO confederate and federal
Petitions for an election are being circua-
| ted in the county in which St, Augustine is
| situated, and the old Spanish stronghold will
| surrender to tho ideas of New England. IN
| many other counties petitions are being signed
up, so that before the winter is over, 1t is conf
| IDENTIFY expected that nine-tenths OF Florida
| will be as dry as whistle.
The last great fight will be in Jacksonville,
| and the prohibitionists will win. This is ow-
| ing TO variety Of causes. The liquor element
| In Jacksonville is strong and influential, but
| II has played disastrous part in local politics.
! Tho boldness of the gambling bells
| and tho houses of prostitution
has called down ON several occasions
the Indignation of the people. They are tired
of the efforts of the whisky ring and its pccul-
lar allies to gain and hold power, and win vote
| for anything which win cripple the enemy.
| When Jacksonville shall have been reduced,
| Florida will still be marshy enough, but eN-
| ceedmgly dry to a man who wants a drink
The Orlando Record, speaking for the ef-
| feet of the now law, says:
The strc est Observance of the law should nov be
enforced and no dtu& stores barroomS or whisky
selling soda rooms should be allowed to exist.
Every good Citlzcn should consider it his boundeu
duty no matter how strongly he may have been i'm
pressed with the lnck of wisdom displayed in voting
the county dry, 30 quietly ana willingly NCquesco
IN the decision of the majority of his fellow citizens
ia the matter aud do all in his individual capacity
% uphold the officers IN III enforcement of the law
ana the punishment its ViplNiorS. let u
have a air test of its efficacy in order that at the
cud of its two Years trial may be able t. judge
of the effect It's enforcement may have upon the
moral and material progress of The county. Tie
Record proposes follow carefully the WORKINGS of
prohibition in this county. and should its adoption
prove beneficial. no more ardent advocate or sup
porter win be found than this paper, while on tie
other hand, should the enforcement of these pro
Visions OF the local option law rctard the progress OF
Orange county the Record Will strenuously fight for
its abandonment.